TERRY BRADSHAW AND WON AND ONLY FELLA GOT THE GOLD!
BY BECKY NEWELL, AQHA MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Terry Bradshaw won his first amateur world championship in 3-year-old halter geldings with Won And Only Fella on Wednesday, November 11, at the AQHA World Championship Show.
Last year, when Terry Bradshaw showed at the AQHA World Show, the guys back on the set of his "Fox NFL Sunday" show got ahold of the footage and gave him a hard time and called him “Wilbur.” After winning the gold trophy in the amateur 3-year-old geldings on Wednesday, November 11, Terry has his revenge planned. "I’m going to take the footage from this year and we’ll show ’em me winnin' the world championship," Terry said. Then he looked right into the camera and said, "Fellas, the championships just keep rolling in. I don’t know what to say … I’ve got the four (Super Bowl) rings, now I’ve got the trophy. You know, you boys had better step it up because I am movin’ on out. ’Fore you know it, I’ll be doing the show all by myself! I’m bringin’ the trophy Sunday so y’all can look at it – but not touch!" There's nothing like winning your first world championship.
Q: How does it feel to have a world champion?
TERRY: It’s just something that you hope that one of these days – you dream about it happening.I’ve been raising horses for 30 years; been showing only for two. It’s just something you think will never happen to you. I’ve been blessed so much in sports and broadcasting, so why should I be blessed in this, too? And today, all those years of breeding and being around the American Quarter Horse, I get my first world title, which is just so humbling. This is so much fun; these are my friends I compete with, and we all have great horses. It’s just fun.
Q:So how is it tied to passion – you were and are passionate about football and you’re passionate about your horses?
TERRY: I love animals. I always have. My grandfather plowed with Clydesdales – that’s where it started. I remember how they’d sweat and how they’d smell, and I never could not enjoy the way a horse smelled when he was working. I started riding as a little bitty boy and my uncles were ropers, so I roped. So when I had an opportunity to buy some land, the first thing I did was buy ropin’ horses because I had cattle. Then the Steelers (football team) didn’t want me riding because they were afraid I’d get hurt. So I didn’t know what I could perform in. That’s when I started studying. That’s about the time the Impressive line came out. I started traveling around and got involved in halter. It took a long time, but today it all came together in a tremendous explosion.
Q:Tell me about the horse you showed.
TERRY: He’s by Mr Yella Fella and out of a Noble Tradition daughter (Shes Surely Noble). The horse has been in my barn for a while. A young man had him and was showing him, and when we had the chance to buy him – Ted (Turner Jr., Terry’s business partner) and I both needed a good gelding. We’re in the show business, I’m in the breeding business. Plus, I needed a gelding that was … gentle. So when I got a chance to buy this horse, this horse was reserve world champion last year. You want horses that you think you can compete with. You don’t ever walk into that World Show arena overconfident, like, “Man, I’ve got this thing locked up” – never! Getting into the top 10 is thrilling. I showed him, I got him qualified and I just have always been in love with him. You know what he did for me? I’ve always been scared of horses; I’ve gotten hurt by horses. This horse got me over that. I can go behind him, put my hands on him, I can get in a corner with him. He took away all my fear. So he has a special meaning to me other than the world title. It’s fabulous. I’m going to pass him on down the road now to another family member, and let them show him and enjoy him like I have. He’s a great horse … a sweet, sweet horse.
FUN FACT: Despite getting into Oklahoma City at 11 p.m. Tuesday night after a 25-hour flight from Afghanistan and only getting a few short hours of sleep, Terry was more than a little bit wired. "We did the "Fox NFL Sunday" football show from Afghanistan and entertained the troops over there with a two-hour special," Terry told The American Quarter Horse Journal. "We were there five days, and then we went to Qatar and did the base there. It’s exhausting, but the show Sunday was phenomenal. The troops are so appreciative of you being there. It was such a reward. When you come from home, they’re so happy to see you. Just talking about it gets emotional. We went through the hospital and saw the babies and our soldiers that are wounded. You know, we’re in war. It’s serious. People are getting shot at and getting killed. We were in bunkers, we had missile attacks – it was real, real stuff. There were mines everywhere. You saw the houses that had been blown up. The Taliban was in the foothills. It was some serious stuff. If you see a soldier, shake their hand, hug them and tell them how much you appreciate what they’re doing because they go to work out there, man. They go to work to kill and be killed. We can’t put that in perspective. We’re here at a horse show in America, which they’re keeping free and when you’re there and you see them, man it’s humbling. They’re courageous. I have absolute respect for every one of them."
WINNER STATS
Horse name: Won And Only Fella Pedigree: 2006 sorrel gelding by Mr Yella Fella x Shes Surely Noble by Noble Tradition Exhibitor/Owner: Terry Bradshaw, Thackerville, Oklahoma Trainer: Ted Turner Jr., Thackerville, Oklahoma Breeder: Jan Bell, Burleson, Texas
Total class entries: 17 Purse: $5,191.97
World Champion Prizes: Custom-designed gold-tone trophy, Montana Silversmiths buckle, neck wreath, gold medallion, Cripple Creek-logo jacket with a world champion patch, Professional's Choice product, Justin Boots, Nutrena feed
